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Wybron, the company that invented the Color Scroller back in 1980, is closing its doors for the last time at the end of June 2013, according to a company email sent to its dealer network last night. From the email, sent to JOL from a source not authorized to comment – bolding is mine:

Dear Dealers,

After a long and pleasant relationship with you, Wybron is ceasing business at the end of June. A press release will go out on Friday to the public announcing the same.

The text of the press release follows:
Wybron Closes Doors After 35 Years of Innovation in Stage Lighting Industry

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – June 6, 2013 – Wybron, a leading stage lighting supplier announced today that the company will close its doors on June 30, 2013.

The company is best known for transforming entertainment, church and architectural industries with its innovation of cutting-edge lighting products.

“For years, the stage lighting industry has been led by companies with three-letter names,” said President and CEO Keny Whitright. “PRG, ETC, ELS, TMB, and BMI are just a few of these. For 35 years Wybron struggled through with the burden of a six-letter name,” Whitright said laughing, “We finally realized we have too many letters in the company name. It was time to close the doors.

Whitright said that closing the Wybron manufacturing plant is bittersweet. “I will miss the business that I know and love. But, I am looking forward to scaling back and becoming an FTD man. Fishing, Traveling and Driving my cars will fill most of my days,” said Whitright. “Notice that I am planning to carry the three letter theme into my retirement.”

Wybron will host an online garage sale starting June 14, 2013, in order to liquidate its remaining new and used products and spare parts. It will offer amazing deals and extraordinary closeout pricing. Visit the Wybron website at www.wybron.com beginning June 14 to learn more about the garage sale offers.

Any pending orders are being filled, but if you have registered a job past June, we will be unable to supply that gear.

Service on existing equipment is uncertain at this time. We are looking for a company to do service, but don’t have anything in place now.

Best Regards,

Keny Whitright
President, Wybron, Inc.

Keny, I’m sorry to see Wybron close. Some of my most enjoyable work was designed the right way because of your product. From a grateful industry, JimOnLight.com says thank you for all you’ve contributed to the Industry. I hope that you fill out your days with the happiness that you deserve, and that your roads are always clear and sunny.

Color fader users, attention: Wybron has an iPhone program that is made to correctly calculate the percentages for their CXI-IT color fader – you know, the one with two CMY rolls that mixes 432 “distinct” colors. It’s also the fader that has the photometric sensor to detect if the lamp’s on, heat sensors, and all the bells and whistles that come with Wybron’s InfoTrace system – the remote device management system Wybron wrote.

Ok, enough of that – this post is about their CXI calculator for the iPhone and iPod. Wybron’s CXI Calculator gives you the ability to mix the two CMY strongs together and find the specific colors you want to create. From Wybron’s website:

Using the Color Calculator’s simple interface, scroll through two overlapping gelstrings of cyan, magenta, and yellow to find the perfect color out of nearly 500 different shades. Then plug its numerical values – either decimals or percentages – into your control console to create the color on stage.

Or find the values necessary to replicate popular GAM, Lee, and Rosco gels.

The Color Calculator replaces the plastic color wheel lighting pros have carried since the CXI came into existence in 1998. But now, with all that information on your iPhone or iPod, you can fit a wealth of knowledge in your pocket.

And the devices’ illuminated screens let you mix and match colors even in the darkest theater.

The Color Calculator runs on any iPhone and iPod touch and can be purchased through Apple’s App Store. Just click on the App Store icon from the main screen of each device, or access the App Store through iTunes.

You can get this program either from the iTunes Store or by clicking the direct link here.

Did You Know?

There are approximately 4 billion lamp sockets in the U.S. This includes both residential and commercial.